Greetings,
His Excellency, The President, Advocate Duma Boko shared unemployment at 27%. Success Capital reminds our new government that those who have given up looking for employment were reported at 21%. More glaringly, youth unemployment is reported to be 34.4%. Unemployment figures include ipelegeng, which averaged above between 63000 and 72000 people per quarter between 2004 and 2018. This not only reflects an urgent need to update data and it’s approaches, but to also include social indicators on disability, health status, and other vulnerabilities that can impact country labour outcomes.
Recommendations specific to data:
- invest in research on updated data, ensuring equitable participation in design, ownership and data collection of and on communities most impacted and marginalised
- strengthen research institutions and ensure compulsory consultation processes outside of hierarchies and structures that exclude grassroots communities
- publish and encourage data on multidimensional poverty, youth specific needs assessments, geographical community social perceptions on service delivery and a country-wide human rights situational analysis
Recommendations specific to employment:
- There is a need to revisit technical college infrastructure and integrate a pipeline for candidates from high school to mitigate school dropouts and ensure upskilling for the job market. As more than 25000 students dropped out of school between 2012 and 2022 (as reported by the Education Statistics Unit), with 3671 dropping out as relayed by the then Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development in July 2023 before parliament.
- There is a need to merge and revitalise the Government Internship and Volunteer Schemes, with a focus on service delivery improvement to support local government and indigenous citizen owned enterprises – especially those that work with government. Whether as part of the Government and Enterprise National Initiative for Employment or in revitalising existing structures. Whilst spending needs to be managed – efforts for tax incentives should be embedded in relieving the state fiscus and incentivising the private sector to be more involved in human development outcomes. Simultaneously, the Human Resource Development Fund is another avenue to ensure pooled resourcing for harnessing the country’s demographic dividend.
- Government should investigate the feasibility of private public partnerships on unemployment insurance and universal basic income as one of the social protection mechanisms to address income inequality.
We further note the first 100 days of the presidency, which we fully support and hope that all civil society will be invited to help strengthen and embolden restoring trust and building equity.
On economic revitalisation we urge the government to further look inwards. Harnessing the potential of cooperatives, the local investor market and informal sector to unlock circular economy structures and resources. Success Capital believes in community asset building beyond development. Safeguarding and guaranteeing a green, circular economy will not only ensure the state is free from neo-colonial and imperialist instruments that prioritise individualism, but it will harbour self-reliance, resilience and create a foundation for competition to invest in different sectors of the country – not just those needing high capital. Key to this, will be addressing monopolies in supply chains and master contracts that impede citizens from entry into certain wholesale and retail markets. A truly higher middle income country thrives off of competition, not monopolies or oligarchic systems.
We also support the social development section, especially listening to Batswana, but implore the need to build equity through reviewing Botswana’s over 30 social protection programmes; evaluation, harmonization and creating holistic packages that address the average Motswana’s needs and aspirations. Ensuring that there is no need for one person or family to qualify and depend on multiple programmes, but that they are community centric and affirmative to cater at district level – with no corruption.
On Accountability and Reporting we call on the government to investigate the social impact of corruption, not only to raise awareness but to ensure the consequences of corruption can be just as severe. There should be a “no-nonsense” approach to ensuring accountability and transparency in government systems and structures to rebuild trust. This should be extended to any instances of social contracting (government funded civil society) and state procurement at all levels.
We support continuation from the first 100 days. Adding the need to finalise a National Development Plan that truly reflects the aspirations of Batswana. This can run in parallel to the promised Constitutional Review to save costs.
On economic diversification, there are two areas that are illuminated that we would like to expand on. Climate and Health are key indicators of a growing economy. Thus, there should be meaningful engagement of Batswana in centralising the policies and tools for climate adaptation, mitigation and justice – this should work in tandem with the Paris Agreement and respect for human rights. Positioning Botswana for “health tourism” would be a strategic shift from the previous administration, safeguarding and strengthening two key sectors that need increased citizen ownership.
We further support the national priority initiative with a call to ensure youth inclusion and participation in advisory committees and as priority beneficiaries.
We note the public sector reform, efficient resource management, regional and international trade sections with hope. More importantly, we hope the government can prioritise mitigating illicit financial flows.
We support the environmental sustainability section and remind the government that climate action requires the inclusion and meaningful participation of diverse communities.
We note Agriculture and Food Security, with some reservations on the inequities perpetuated by import bans that benefit an elite few and impact the majority from low profits and barriers of entry for small-scale farmers to increased costs and poor quality for consumers. We also call for feasibility and evidence-based policy making around previously prohibited products. The social and health impacts should be addressed in ensuring harm reduction and decriminalisation (particularly in related petty offences) can be harmonised with the new government’s strategy. Batswana should have been informed what kind of impact this would have in employment, tax revenue and whether these products will be included in manufacturing and production related state interventions for domestic and international trade (especially with bi and multilateral agreements in place). Whilst global statistics are in place, there should have been some extrapolation and estimations to our context.
We note manufacturing, value added processing; notably excluding extractive industry beneficiation and maybe understandably excluding diamond mining specifically. Also technological advancement; notably serving the interests of an apartheid-South Africa beneficiary and right wing conservative American contrasting the new governments’ intended principles even though inherited from the previous administration.
We unequivocally and resoundingly support and celebrate the health care section, notably UHC which we have advocated for since 2018.
We support cost cutting measures and international relations. Reminding the government of the need for a clear foreign policy for the country.
What is missing:
- Addressing gender inequities, including beyond binaries and care work.
- Modalities around the Constitutional Review and how it might be different. Especially since public pronouncements have made it clear on a new process within 6 months.
- Land distribution as a key priority for many Batswana.
- Prioritizing people with disabilities, particularly on strengthening accessibility and inclusion provisions.
- Variant forms of violence, including GBV, that plague our country, including state-sponsored violence.
We welcome the new government and are ready to support the safeguarding and strengthening of human rights of all Batswana whilst simultaneously ensuring no one is left behind in achieving sustainable development.
Interesting observation:
The Road Less Travelled podcast features founder, Dumi Gatsha and is based on a poem quoted by Robert Frost, cited by His Excellency, The President, Advocate Duma Boko.
Last updated at 18:39 SAST, 19 November 2024.
Reviewed at 20:38 SAST, 20 November 2024.
Commentary on the Leader of Opposition:
The response of the Leader of Opposition was not only informative but reminds us of a deep need to reflect on previous administration, parliaments and notable developments that are fundamental to understanding the architecture of this country. Precedence should always be a lesson for us not to repeat mistakes of the past, but also to draw inspiration and build on where necessary. The use of literature in parliament not only reflects their use in our country’s jurisprudence for persuasion, but further compliments considerations of other key stakeholders of the country and ensures we truly live up to an ‘evidence-based approach’ to policy making.
We note the framing of a new Botswana versus an old one, this sets a dangerous precedence as witnessed in the previous administration where the current and former head of state were at odds. At this point after elections, the spirit of unity and shared vision should reflect in parliamentary discourse without creating discord or other divisive language for public consumption and discourse. Botswana’s history is our shared history. There were no new Batswana, beyond new births, which popped up after a new government was announced. In this light, we must not loose focus on the work that needs to be done to correct the mistakes of the past and do away with corruption, political patronage, and any forms of division even if coming from different manifestos or ideologies. Parliament is a collective leadership reflective of the people’s will – even if others did not vote, they played a role by not participating in the system for their own [and very valid] reasons. They are not absolved from the consequences or outcomes of the general election and so we must all live up to the moment to help shift the trajectory of this country for better, for all Batswana.
We further welcome the strong opposition that will only strengthen accountability of the executive and ruling party. This is a healthy reflection of a democracy that is growing stronger – despite the regressions made on democratic and governance indicators in the last two administrations. More importantly, being transparent by setting an example with declaring their own assets. This sets a powerful tone in which the next 5 years of government, should be reflective of the Botswana we want and need for future generations.
21 November 2024, 18;05pm